Type form



July 28, 1936. J E, PARKER 2,048,965

TYPE FORM Filed Aug. 31, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l mvsmoa g mzmu J. E.PARKER )PTYPE FORM Fil July 28, 1936.

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TYPE FORM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 31, 1933 INVENTOR Patented July28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE My invention relates to a method andapparatus to be employed in the art of typography.. It consistssubstantially in the method and apparatus, the concepts pertainingthereto, and the coni struction, combination and arrangement of partsassociated in a type form assembly for the practice of my method, aswill be more fully set forth hereinafter, represented in theaccompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is applicable to typography wherein type of standard height(1. e., having an overall dimension of approximately 0.9186" between thefeet upon which the type rests and the face 5 or part from which theimpression is taken) is employed, and especially to typography whereinthe type normally rests upon or is supported by its feet, regardless ofits height or vertical thickness and of the quantity or kind orcharacters i or the nature of the surface from which or on which theimpression is made or taken.

In the class of typography employing type of standard height, it hasbeen customary to depend upon lateral contact and the pressure ex- !5erted by clamping means such as quoins, to effectually lock togethertype units and associated furniture, spacing units, roller bars andother. elements of a type form so that no individual part or piece canbecome disengaged or dis.-

30 ranged; quoins or the equivalent thereof operating to clamp theelements of the form together firmly in such a manner that the entirestructure becomes rigid.

In some instances elements of the structure 35 have been provided with agroove on one edge and a rib on the other edge, grooves and ribsengaging to securely interlock the elements so as to prevent movementthereof. This desired rigidity has also'been accomplished by providinggrooves 40 in lieu of ribs and utilizing locking members such as rods,in lieu of the ribs, to engage adjacent grooves and, thus cooperating,to lock the elements of the form against movement; in this mannerproviding means additional to the clamp- 45 ing efiect between the linesof type and other elements of the form to obtain the customary rigidity.

Heretofore, when lateral contact between elements (with or without theinclusion of addi- 50 tiOnal locking means) has not been employed, it

has been customary to arrange type and spacing units in drums or frameshaving longitudinal type holding bars arranged thereon in pairs formingslots between them, each slot being 55 adapted to receive a line of typeand space units. The type and space units, being provided with a pair ofnotcheson each side thereof, are engaged thereby by rails on thelongitudinal type holding bars; the rails supporting the type and 50space units therebetween.

In multiunit type form assemblies, especially those employing type ofstandard heights, it has been diflicult to effectively accomplishcomplete lateral contact interlocking between all elements so as toassure that each individual piece or unit 5 will be held firmly withinthe assembly and will not become disengaged or disranged, except by theemployment of special locking means such as described. Providing theequipment with rib and groove features prevents the universal employmentof such equipment with standard equipment and restricts the manner inwhich such special equipment can be utilized in the assembly.Furthermore, when the elements are properly held by lateral-contact orare interlocked forming a rigid structure from which impressions are tobe obtained, any irregularities in the height of the face of the typedue to uneven wear or use or irregularities of the surface upon whichthe impression is to be made, will be reflected in the impressionobtained in the process of, printing or other applications of theassembled elements,

requiring replacement of unsatisfactory type or space units or otherelements of the assembly.

or extensive make-ready on the press or other .25 device employing theassembly before operations can be started. In some instances suchpreparations do not suflice, for example when varying irregularitiesexist in impression surfaces.

The same disadvantages obtain in the employment of type and space unitsin combination with type holding bars the rails of which support thetype and space units. This applies especially to the comparatively shorttype which receives projections from the rails whereby the type is heldagainst radial displacement and to the machines with which such type andspace units are used.

Standard type in rigid assembly and special type held by rails oftype'holding bars retain the assembled units in a fixed relation one tothe 40 other in the process of obtaining impression 'efiects. Suchspecial type cannot be set up or used interchangeably with standard typein the fabrication of a type form assembly in the customary manner; themethod of handling, retaining and assembling the two styles of typebeing radically different.

Standard type assemblies, if not clamped or locked together tightly,heretofore have not been dependable for typographical purposes, onereason being that type units can pull or work out of the assembly andspacing elements can assume a position within the plane of the facesurface of the type units whereby objectionable impressions will bereceived therefrom during the process of printing. Furthermore, suchstandard type assemblies. cannot be handled with safety and security dueto the possibility of elements dropping out of the form during movementthereof, or becoming disranged while working on the assembly such as tomake typographical corrections.

Type held by rails and space units used therewith cannot be readilyreplaced in the assembly, moreover such units are liable to breakage atthe thin portion during employment of the assembly such as in theprocess of printing, thus spoiling or rendering useless, due toimperfect copy,'the impressions taken from the type form assembly.

Furthermore, type is subject to serious damage during process ofprinting, should foreign matter be disposed between the type face andthe impression surface.

It is to overcome in a practical and readily applicable manner thedefects, disadvantages and 'difliculties referred to above and toutilize to advantage the inherently characteristic tendency 'of theunits to become displaced during the process of printing, and also atthe same time to permit the typographical equipment to be handled, ifdesired, in accordance with established practice with which those atpresent engaged in the art are familiar, that the present method, meansand apparatus have been devised and developed.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce at will, even or unevenimpression effects with the employment of the same typo raphicalequipment, whether the equipment consist entirely of new or unusedunits, entirely used or worn units, or a combination of used and unusedunits, of units not uniformly alike as to standard height, or acombination of used, non-standard and unused units.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method and means wherebya type form assembly may be used to produce desired impression effectson smooth or uneven paper or other surfaces.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method and means wherebycharacter type deficient in'vertical height will assume a positionwithin the assembly, due to the inherent tendency of units to work up tothe impression surface during the process of printing, so that thedesired impression may be obtained therefrom; .while at the same timethe non-character type v,units, such as spaces, etc., while capable ofverti- .cal movement, will not assume the position within the type formand units thereof in fixed relation.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a type formassembly may be set up in the customary manner in accordance with usualtypographical practice in the process of which means are automaticallymade available in whole or in part within the assembly for theemployment of the method of my invention.

Astill further object of my invention is to provide apparatus in theform of typographical equipment which can be used readily in conjunctionwith standard typographical equipment, elements and units as at presentemployed in the art and, if desired, which can be made up into a typeform assembly wherein only a portion of ing to retain said units in afixed position with aoaepct the assembly may utilize the method andapparatus of my invention.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a method and means whereby atype form assembly may be fabricated wherein the type units are 5capable of yielding to excessive pressure exerted on the face thereofdue to foreign matter beim, interdisposed between the type face and theimpression surface or to irregularities in the impression surface; thetype units returning to their proper position for the production offollowing or subsequent impression effects.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means whereby typeunits and other elements of a type form assembly incorporating units orother elements of non-uniform dimensions which may not be perfectly truein their angles, may be employed to advantage in t p raphy.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a type formassembly which has been set up in the customary manner may be retainedready for immediate production of even or uneven impression eifectsandmay be moved about or otherwise manipulated with minimum danger ofspilling or disranging the type form assembly, and the employmenttherewith of a guard or intervening member to limit the movement of theunits without the member functionrelation one to the other.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a method wherebypreferred impression effects may be obtained by preventing elements of atype form assembly from assunung a certain 35 position with relation oneto the other instead of obtaining preferred impression eifects byholding, locking or otherwise retaining the elements of a type formasembly in a fixed position relative one to the other.

Other and further objects of my invention will be understood from thespecification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which like reference characters have been used to indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views and in which Figure 1illustrates in perspective a typical type form assembly with ,one endbroken away to more clearly disclose the arrangement of parts;

Figure 2 is a cross section view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a plurality of rows of new type associated with atype assembly support;

Figure 4 illustrates a plurality of rows of used type associated withanother form of type assembly support;

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of Fig. 3 including guard orintervening members;

Figure 6 illustrates a'm'odification of Fig. 4 ineluding guard orintervening members; 60 Figure 7 illustrates a plurality of rows of typeand spacing elements including guard or intervening members; 1

Figure 8 illustrates a modification of Fig. 7;

Figure 9 illustrates another form of type, space units and interveningor guard members;

Figure 10 illustrates another position of the elements of Fig. 9;

Figure 11 illustrates the customary or desired position oftype and spaceunits, such as Fig. 9, when incorporated in a type form assembly;

Figure 12 illustrates in perspective a typical type unit of myinvention; I

Figure 13 illustrates a fragmentary portion of a type form assemblycontaining typical quoin or form locking units, guard or interveningmembers in modified form associated therewith; and

Figure 14 illustrates a form of thin spacing element employed in themethod of my invention, a guard or intervening feature being made a partthereof.

In the drawings, I have illustrated apparatus typical of that employingmy invention and in the following description I will describe the sameas applicable to fiat bed typographical equipment, but it is to beunderstood that modifications thereof may be made to adapt the same toother kinds of typographical equipments and printing machines such asrotating, revolving, and reciprocating machines without departing fromthe spirit of my invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

While I have disclosed type, space units, spacing equipment, furniture,quoins and other elements of standard dimensions as adapted toincorporate and to utilize the principles of my invention, it is to benoted that type, space units,

spacing equipment, furniture, quoins and other elements other than thosehaving standard dimensions may be equally as well adapted and employedso as to incorporate and utilize the principles of my invention.

This invention is an improvement over that described in my Patent Number1,187,085 issued to me June 13, 1916, in which a locking meansconsisting of rods or middle leads were shown as. cooperating with thenotches of the type to lock the type against creeping movement, the typeand other members of the form cooperating to lock the rods and middleleads against movement, thus all members cooperating to hold the typeform in fixed relation and not depending upon the clamping efiectbetween the lines of type as was the usual practice.

The non-fiexible-nature of the structure in the patent referred to(1,187,085) did not permit the objects of the present invention to beachieved by the use thereof, by reason of the fixed relation in whichall members of the type form were held.

In Fig. 1, I show a typical type form assembly ,comprising end chasemembers 20, side chase members 2|, the upper portion of which may hedetachable as shown at 2m, with furniture units, 22, type, spaceunits,spacing equipment, reglets, quads, and other elements of a type formassembly located therein in rows 23, 24, 25, 26, 21, 28, 28," 30 and 3|and with thin spacers 32 and quoins 33,] associated therewith, and withone end chase member, 20, broken away to disclose a guard or interveningmember, 34, an open space of'rectangular cross section 35, and a recess,4|, in side members 2 the as embly resting on support 36.

In Fig. 2 I show a cross-section view of Fig. 1 taken on line 2--2 inwhich thin spacers 31 and 38, open spaces 38, and additional guard orintervening members 48 not-in evidence from inspection ofFig. 1 areindicated, The support 36 is indicated as being comprised of a pluralityof sections 36a and 36b. I

In Fig. 3, I show the end type of a plurality of rows, 23, 25, 28 inclose relationship, the type being of the form illustrated and describedin Patent 1,187,085 mentioned withthe added feature that the open spaces35 are not grooves forming half of a square but are elongated verticallyof the type so that when rows of type 23, 25 and 28 are placed. togetheras shown there are formed between the rows open spaces, 33, ofrectangular cross-section, the major axis of the rectangularcross-section being parallel to ment elements of Figs. 9 and 10 in thenormal the vertical axis of the type; the type resting on support, 36, aportion of which is cut away under row 23 so that this row may belowered to a level below that of rows 23 and 25.

In- Fig. 4, I show a plurality of rows 28, 38, 3| I 5 in closerelationship, the end type of rows, 28 and 3| being new or unused typewhile the and type of row 381s used or worn type, the type resting onsupport 38 of resilient material, displacements therein by .thedepression of the high type of rows 28 and 3| having raised the low typeof row 30; the open spaces 33 between the rows being maintained. 1

In Fig. 5, I show the end type of the rows 23, 25 and 28 of Fig. 3resting on support 36 having an uneven surface so that the type of theseveral rows are at differing levels, the open spaces 39 between therows being maintained as in Fig. 4', guard or intervening members 40,substantially the same width as open spaces 39, being disposed in theopen spaces 39.

In Fig. 6, I show the end type of the rows 28, 38 and 3| of Fig. 4,resting on support 33, having a smooth surface as" in Fig. l but withouta portion thereof cut away; guard or intervening members 48 beingdisposed in the open spaces 33.

In Fig. 7, I show the end type of rows 23 and 25 separated by reglet orspacing equipment 26 and with spacing equipment 24 or other furnitureequipment adjacent to row 25; guard or intervening members 40 beingdisposed in the open spaces 33 between the type of rows 23 and 23 andthe spacing equipment 26 and 24; the type of rows 23 and 25 and theequipment 24 resting on support 38.

In Fig. 8, I show the end type of rows 23 and 25 and spacing equipment26 and 24 of Fig. 7, but with only type of row 23 and the spacingequipment 26 resting on support 36.

In Fig. 9, I show the end type of row 23, the spacing equipment 26, theopen space 38 and the guard or intervening member 48 of Fig. 7 beingmodified in form as shown by the curved walls of the groove at 33a andthe provision of the circular guard members 40a: the end type A of row23 and spacing equipment 26 being in the same relative position as inFig. 7.

In Fig. 10, I show the elements of Fig. 9, in the same modified form butin different relative positions, such as the relative positions of theend type of row 25 and spacing equipment 24 of Fig. 8.

In Fig. 11, I show the type and-spacing equiprelative position; theguard or intervening member not being disposed therebetween but with theopen space 33 provided therefor at 380..

In Fig. 12, I show a detail of the type such as the end type of the row,28, of Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive.

In Fig. 13, I show a detail of a quoin or form assembly locking member,33, with a guard or intervening member 40b disposed in the open space38b between the sections 33a and 33b comprising quoin 33; the ends ofthe guard or intervening member 40!) being bent to'an angle beyond therespective ends of the open space 39b and engaging the two halves of thequoin 33 so as to'prevent a detrimental change in the. relative positionof the two halves of the quoin which would lessen to a detrimentaldegree the preferred or desired pressure exerted by the'quoin on thetype form assembly.

quoins 33, the type elements of the assembly may be held with anydesired degree of security against lateral movement. r 1 I When it isdesired to thin-space the elements of the assembly, I have provided thinspacer ele-' ments 32, 31 and 38, Fig. -2, the form shown in detail inFig. 14. These thin spacers 32, 31 and 38 consist-of a lead or otherthin spacing ma- :terial having a T head, the thickness of the Theadbeing the same as the'thickness of the guard or intervening member,the arms of the T extending out substantially the same distance as thewidth of the open space, it being optional whether the ends of the Thead extend beyond the end of the. body of the lead or thin spacer, asindicated by the dotted line in Fig. 14. In practice, thin spacers arecut to size according to the purpose they are to serve in a type formassembly.

Referring to Fig. 1, the side members 2| are optionally provided withrecesses as 4| of substantially the same depth, vertically, as the guardor intervening members 34 or so that when a set-up of type as shown inFig. 1 is inserted there in between side-members 2 the ends of the guard,or intervening members 34 or) may be held in position by means ofrecess 4|, as shown in Fig. 1 at the cut away portion of end member 20.To facilitate handling, the upper part of side members 2| may be maderemovable and replaceable as shown at 2|a. Open space 35 of elements ofthe assembly may serve equally as well as recess M to accommodate theend of guard or intervening members 34 or 40 and the head of thinspacers 32, 31 and 38 when desired or required.

When desirable for purposes of composition and arrangement of elements,the length of the guard or intervening members 34 or 40 and of the thinspacers 32, 31 and 38 may be restricted or limited to the length of theline of type or the other elements of the assembly with which they areassociated or to any portion of the length, thus notnecessarily'extending the full length of the line or engaging recesses4| of side members 2|. The lines of type within the assembly may also beset at angles to one another and still utilize the elements of the formassociated therewith.

It will be noted that whereas the type unit Fig,

12 has open spaces 35 only at the upper portion thereof, reference toFig. 2 indicates other elements of the assembly, such as units 22, 24and 33, have open spaces 35 located at the lower portion as well as theupper portion which permits inversion of space units, reglets, furnitureand other spacing elements thus facilitating composition and assembly.Inversion of type units is not regular practice, therefore, open spaces35 in the lower portion thereof would retard rather than facilitatecomposition and assembly. Open spaces 35 may be located at thelupperportion and lower portion of the ends of the spacing equipments and inthe case of furniture of substantially the same crosswise dimensions,open spaces 35 may be located equally as well on the top and on thebottom thereof. Open spaces 35 may be located likewise in the sides ofslugs cast for typographical purposes in the same manner as inindividual type, Fig. 12, as well as in the ends thereof.

When the guard or intervening members, 40, if employed, are in position,individual type although held against lateralmovement are free to movevertically a predetermined distance determined by the difference of thedimensions 0; the open spaces 35 and the guard or intervening members 40(and of the T head of the thin spacers 32, 31 and 33) i used. Thisdistance I have chosen as approximately the height of the face above theshoulder of new type in my practice of the invention as best adapted toproduce even copy from a mixture of old and new type.

While I have shown in detail the open spaces 35 and 39 as rectangularand the guard or intervening members 40 as square,'I do not wish to belimited to this specific structure, since I have used rounded guard orintervening members 40a 20 with the open spaces 35 as substantiallysemiellipses or as arcuate and open spaces 39 as substantially ellipseswith the major axis substantially twice the diameter of the guard orintervening members 40 and parallel to the vertical 25 axis of the typeFig. 12 and the minor axis of the ellipses being substantially the sameas the diameter of the guard or intervening members 48 lying at rightangles to the vertical axis of the type Fig. 12, as indicated in Figs.9, 10 and 11, the diameter of the guard or intervening members 40 beinggreater than the maximum horizontal width of open spaces 35 and lessthan the maximum horizontal width of open space 39, with equallysuccessful results to those obtained with 35 the rectangular open spaces35 and 39, and the square guard or intervening members 34 and 48.

It is to be understood, however, that other dimensions may be chosenwithout departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by thescope thereof and pointed out in the claims appended hereto. 1

Referring to Fig. l, I have provided supports 36 for type, Fig. 12, andthe other elements comprising the assembled set-up. These supports,

' 36, may be either rigid with a smooth surface as indicated in Fig. 6or an uneven surface as indigeneral and preferred embodiment of myinvention, and familiarity therewith will enable those skilled in theart to understand therefrom that many changes may be made in the form ofthe embodiment of my.invention within the scope of the appended claimswithout sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

I will now describe the operation of my invention.

Assuming first the set-up of type shown in Fig. l to be entirely of newtype but of long and short lines, with the type held against lateralmovement by end members 28, quoins 33, if employed, and side members 2|,but with each type unit of the assembly free to move vertically anamount predetermined as hereinbefore described.

If it is desired to produce an absolutely even copy effect, support 36of one or several thicknesses of material with smooth surface is chosen,

layers of material being removed from under the short line or any partthereof, such as row 28, Fig. 3, thus lowering the level of type in theshort line, row 28, so that when an impression is taken from the type,the pressure of each individual type upon the copy is the same.

If it is desired to produce an uneven copy effect, for example onesimulating type-written copy, support 36 is chosen rigid, but having anuneven or irregular surface so that the individual type are moved tovarious levels as indicated in Fig. 5, with the result that an unevencopy is produced.

Assuming next the set-up of type shown in Fig. l to be a mixture of highand low type, new and old type, or entirely of old type, with the typefree to move vertically an amount predetermined as hereinbeforedescribed.

If it is desired to produce an even copy effect,

' support 36 is chosen, resilient, so that when an impression is takenfrom the type, the pressure of each individual type upon the copy isequalized and is the same irrespective of the height of the type; hightype as in rows 28 and 3|, Fig. 4, being depressed in the resilient mat,support 36, produces displacements therein which tend to raise the lowtype as in row 30,- Figure 4.- I

Due to the inherent tendency of units in a type form assembly to work upto the printing surface, it is evident that the low type in row 30, Fig.4, will assume a position within the assembly so that the impressioneffects may be obtained therefrom, without depending upon anydisplacement in support 36, due to the permitted upward verticalmovement allowed the low type. This vertical movement is limited to theextent that type units cannot pull out of the assembly, this featureaccomplished by the functioning of the guard or intervening members 40in restricting the vertical movements of the units making up theassembly, as indicated in Fig. '7, wherein a spacing element, 26,(instead of a low type, as in row 30, Fig. 4) is represented;thetendency of low character type and of spacing units to movevertically within the assembly being the same, as indicated by theposition shown of spacing element 26,

Fig. '7.

Assuming that copy is to be made on material or on stock which in itselfpresents or has an uneven surface or which varies irregularly inthickness, with support 36, resilient, and the type being free to movevertically an amount predetermined as hereinbefore described, eachindividual type unit, Fig. 12 is capable of assuming at each impressiona position which will bring the height of the printing surface to theproper level or position from which the impression may be obtained,regardless of the varying thickness of the stock or irregularity in thesurface thereof on which the impression is to be made, at the point andat the time of making the impression.

Due to the free vertical movement permitted the type, it is apparentthat if the stock upon which the impression is to be made should in anyparticular instance have foreign matter on the printing surface orelsewhere, such asencountered in the adhesives used on envelopes, whichon account of excessive thickness or hardness would tend to damage theface of the type, Fig. 12, should it be locked in a rigid assembly, suchpossibility of damage can be. materially reduced by the employment ofsupport 36, resilient, the elements of the assembly being permitted freevertical movement. The type, subject to abnormal.

' amount predetermined as hereinbefore described,

pressure. would be depressed into the resilient surface during theprocess of making the impression; the type being returned to its properposition within the assembly for subsequent impression purposes. 5

If it is desired to produce even or uneven copy effects of the kindpreviously mentioned, supports 36, if rigid may have a fiat orunevensurface as desired, the height of the type faces being relied upon togive even copy, or uneven copy, produced by the artificialirregularities of the surface of support 36.

At the time the character type is permitted free movement in a verticaldirection as hereinbefore described, by means of which desiredimpression effects may be obtained from each type independent ofanother, the space units between words and the spacing equipment betweenlines of type and elsewhere in the assembly are likewise capable of freevertical movement in an amount predetermined as hereinbefore described,so that spacing elements will not interfere with the vertical movementof the character type. By reason of the vertical movement of the unitsbeing an the spacing elements, being lower than the type units, areprevented from assuming a position within the plane of the printingsurface of the character type and are thus prevented from marring thecopy as is the case when impressions are obtained therefrom or causedthereby 'due to their assuming a, position in the plane of the printingsurface of the character type.

From an examination of Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that regularstandard typographical equipment, such as regular furniture 22, regularcharacter type units and regular space or quad units represented in row3| can be readily modified to employ the principles of this invention.Row 21, Figs. 1 and 2, represents regular standard typographicalequipment unmodified,as customarily furnished to and employed in theart. It is apparent that such regular-standard typographical equipmentcan be used in conjunction with similar typographical equipment adaptedto employ the principles of my invention and vice versa, and also thatguard or intervening members, 34 and 40 need not necessarily be employedalthough provision may be made for their employment, such as open spaces39, between rows 24 and 25 and between other elements of the assemblysuch ,as open spaces 39 between furniture 22 and a special positionduring the composition or fabrication of the assembly. Certain elements,where desired, may also serve as a quad. inone line or a space inanother line by further continuing the application of the conceptwherein open spaces 35 are on the ends as well as on the sides. upperand lower portion, of the units. Certain fumiture, such as that havingthree or a plurality of dimensions substantially the same may be placedin the form in any convenient manner as is usual practice and may be soconstructed as to provide, at the same time, means on all sur- .7

faces, such as open spaces 35, and such as four to each side, for theemployment of guard or intervening members 40, without efiecting thepurpose which the furniture is intended to serve.

In row 21, Fig. 1, is shown an end space unit as .having worked up tothe printing surface of the character type, due to defect therein or toother causes commonly met with or encountered in the art. In row 25,Fig. 1, is shown a mid space as having worked up to the printingsurface. When such undesired action takes place in an assembly,

. tionable characteristic cannot be thus overcome inr'o'w 2!representing regular standard typographic equipment as no open spaces 35are supplied therein and thus no open spaces 39 are provided' or madeavailable to accommodate guard or intervening members 40.

Reglet 26, is represented as tending to work up to the printing surface,Fig. 2 showing the movement being checked by guard or intervening member40. Character type, spaces, quads, etc. in row 21 represent regularstandard typographical elementsof an assembly such as are commonlyemployed in the art with the end unit indicated as having worked up tothe printing surface thus exemplifying disadvantages experienced in theuse of regular standard typographical equipment wherein the principlesof this invention cannot be enjoyed.

Referring to Fig. 14, I also provide when necessary thin spacers whichmay be cut to the proper size to be employed in the assembly in themanner desired'fisuch as thin spacers 32, 31 and 38,

Fig. 2, whichspacers such as 32, may be inserted in an inverted positionbetween rows, such as 23 and 30, Fig. 2, to serve as an additionalprecaution in preventing type of rows 29 and 30 from break- "ing off atthe thin portion i. e., at open spaces 35 of the ,type, Fig. 12. It iscustomary in the art to cut any spacingequipment to lengths necessary tomeet specific typographical set-up require- -ments. Therefore, the Thead of thin spacers may be cut off if and when desired such as the Thead of thin spacer 31, so that the T head only of thin spacers 37 mayserve as the guard or intervening member associated with rows 23 and 29and also for the body of thin spacer 31 thereunder, the body being freeto move vertically an amount predetermined as hereinbefore described. Orthe T head of thin spacers 32, inverted in the assembly, may serve asthe guard or intervening member associated with rows, such as 29 and 30and for the body only of thin spacers such as 38 without its T headwhile aifordin'g additional protection to the type in the rows withwhich associated as described above in regard to the possibility of typebreaking off at its thin portion such as at open spaces 35 of type Fig.12.

This tendency towards breakage is reduced by the employment of themodified form of open spaces 35a. and 39a shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.In employing the modified form of open spaces 35a and 3911, the T headof thin spacers, Fig. ,14, may be modified by rounding the arms of the Thead so that they extend out as previously described but substantiallythe same distance as the diameter of the modified guard or interveningmember 40a, Figs. 9 and 10.

It should be noted that the thin spacers, Fig. 14,

and spacing units in drums or frames having longitudinal type holding'bars arranged thereon in pairs forming slots between them, each slotbeing adapted to receive a line of type and space units, rails on thelongitudinal type-holding bars supporting the type and space unitstherebetween, it is apparent that support 36 may be inserted in any slotas a strip under the lines of type and space units, the inserted support36 (instead of the rails on the longitudinal type holding bars) servingto support the type and thus not only overcoming in a practical andreadily applicable manner the defects, disadvantages and diiiicultiesreferred to herein and providing means for utilizing the method hereindescribed but also coming within thespirit of my invention.

Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2 wherein row 3i is indicated asemploying the principles of this invention, it will be noted that fourspace units are represented towards the center of this row 3|, Fig. 1,two units of which are shown as 33 and engage recess 4| in order toserve its purpose. '1"he same conditions apply to guard or interveningmembers 40 of the figures shown.

It is to be further understood that the assembly may be mounted directlyon the bedplate of a press, the bed plate serving as support 36. Or thebed plate may serve as portion 36b, Fig. 2, and additional support 36a,Fig. 2, of any kind including those described herein, disposed betweenthe assembly and the bed plate, 36b.

Section 36b of support 36 may have an uneven surface or be otherwiseadapted to serve as means to prevent undesired horizontal orlongitudinal movement oi. section 33a.

By using furniture, spacing'equipment and if desired type .and spaceunits with non-parallel having worked up towards the printing surface,

latera. sides, the assembly may be mounted in a circular containerserving as a. chase or galley from which impressions may be obtainedfrom typographical machines operating on several principles, such as therotary principle.

Quoins, 33, may be employed to lock the elements of the assemblyin arigid structure in the customary manner or merely to cause a lesserdegree of lateral contact between the elements of the assembly and whenthe proper or desired degree of contact has been obtained, guard orintervening member 40b, Fig. 13, may serve to retain this preferredorpredetermined degree of contactby merely bending member 40b atits endsas shown in Figs. 2 and 13 whereby it is evident that quoins, such as33, cannot loosen beyond a predetermined amount due to vibrations orother causes during employment of the assembly in the art.

Shifting a type form assembly due to handling" involves difiiculties,such as indicated in Fig. 8 wherein a loosely bound assembly haspartially slipped off of its support 36, which movement except for theguard members 40 functioning as indicated would have permitted avertical downward movement of row and spacing element 24 to the extentof their dropping out of the assembly thus permitting disrangement ofthe other elements of the assembly and it is manifest therefore that theassembly, bound loosely, may be lifted or moved about with safety andwithout support, 36, of necessity being associated therewith, althoughthe elements are not held ina fixed relation one to the other as is theusual practice, further explanation being considered unnecessary.

A further advantage is manifest in closely setup assemblies representedin Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive and by rows and 3| of Fig. 1 when it isdesired to remove. any portion of type or equipment from any row, andwith guard or intervening members functioning preventing type orequipment of adjacent rows from becoming disranged and spilling, or frominterfering with the replacement of type or equipment in any row, inthat the exchange of units and other changes required may be easilyefiected and the type units, spaces and other elements of the assemblyquickly and easily brought into lateral contact, one with another,without each individual unit being necessarily first properly seated orfirst placed in the normal position, one to the other, at which eachelement of the assembly must be placed if the assembly is fabricated orheld readily for use as a rigid structure, the elements held in a fixedrelation one to the other as is the usual practice.

While I have described my invention in certain of its preferredembodiments, I desire that it beunderstood that modifications may bemade and that no limitations upon my invention are intended other thanare imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A type form assembly, comprising a plurality of rows of type unitseach type unit being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sidesthereof intermediate between the ends of said units, the recesses in thetype units registering to form a continuous passage between adjacentrows and intervening rod-like members therebetween lying within therecesses in said units, said rod-like members having dimensions smallerthan said passage, the type units of the assembly being movablelongitudinally of said units a distance less than the difference in theface height and the shoulder height of the t units.

2. A type form assembly including a plurality of rows of type units eachtype unit being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sides thereofintermediate between the ends of said units, the recesses in the typeunits registering to form a continuous passage between adjacent rows andintervening members between said rows lying partly within the recessesof one row and partly within the recesses of the adjacent row, saidintervening members being of such dimensions as to substantially fillsaid recesses as to depth but being incapable of filling said recessesfor their entire length along the longitudinal axis of said units, by anamount less than the height of the type face above the type shoulder,and a yieldable support for the feet of said type so that type ofslightly varying lengths are slidable longitudinally to give asubstantially uniform printing surface.

3. A type form assembly including a plurality of rows of type units eachtype unit being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sides thereofintermediate between the ends of said units, the recesses in the typeunits registering to form a continuous passage between adjacent rows andintervening members between said rows lying partly within the recessesof one row and partly within the recesses of the adjacent row, saidintervening members being of such dimensions'as to substantially fillsaid recesses as to depth but being incapable of filling said recessesfor their entire length along the longitudinal axis of said units, by anamount less than the height of the type face above the type shoulder,and a slightly uneven support for the feet of said type whereby animpression resembling typed copy as to density may be obtained.

4. A type form assembly embodying a chase having oppositely recessedsides, a plurality of rows of type units within said chase each typeunit being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sides thereofintermediate between the ends of said units, the recesses in the typeunits registering to form a continuous passage between adjacent rows anda plurality of rods extending across the chase, said rods being of suchdimensions that the ends thereof rest within the recesses in the sidesof said chase while that portion of the rods intermediate the endsthereof rest within and partially fill the recesses in said type unitsbut fail to fill said recesses in a direction longitudinal of the typeunit by anamount less than the height of the face of a relatively newtype unit above the shoulder of any type unit.

5. A type form assembly, comprising a plurality of rows of type units,said units being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sidesthereofintermediate between the ends of said units, in combination with aplurality of intervening rod-like members therebetween lying within therecesses in said units, said rod-like members having dimensions smallerthan the passage formed by said recesses, the type units A of theassembly being movable longitudinally within the assembly a distanceless than the height of the face of the type of said units above theshoulders, the recesses and rods being so shaped that relative movementof the type units causes an increasing lateral pressure between adjacenttype units in adjacent lines of type.

6. A type form assembly comprising a pair of rows of type units, eachtype unit being provided with opposed recesses on opposite sides thereofintermediate between the ends of said unit, the recesses in the typeunits registering to form a continuous closed channel between two rowsthereof and an elongated member in the channel, said member beingsmaller in the dimension longitudinal of the type units by an amountless than. the height of the type faces of the character type above thetype shoulders.

JAMES EDWARD PARKER.

